Guy from Ullapool in a Van

Scottish guy in a commercial van. We only needed to get to the main road after a hike but the guy took us all the way to Ullapool. Gave us some tips on how to avoid midges. Went out of his way to drive us home.

German Couple

German couple in a rented car. Really nice but took me for only about a mile.

Mancunian Girl

Nice girl from Manchester who worked and lived in Durness. Had a really interesting chat about life and everything. Very easy to talk to.

Guy from Bochum

Nice German guy who stopped after a 1.5h wait. Had a great chat about life and we both found it quite easy to relate to each other. He'd been to Scotland to some conference. Gave me lots of tips about Japan and it was one of the most pleasant rides I've had so far in Scotland. The scenery along the way was astonishing.

Guy from John O' Groats

After the first indoor night of my trip in a church hall (really nice lady let me in and gave me the key!). I started to hitch right outside the church. A nice guy stopped and took me all the way to Thurso. We talked about a lot of things, such as uni life, Brexit, his son and I regret the ride was so short because the guy was very easy to talk to.

University Worker

Young guy in a university van on his way to a forest to collect samples of beetles/insects for the university. He was from York and had only moved up to Thurso 2 months ago.

German Family

Germany family from Ravensburg in an RV. Got to practice my German after quite some time. Talked about our trips but most of the ride was mostly silent as we watched the scenery in awe.

Scottish Independence Campaigners

Two Scottish guys who were campaigning for independence. First time I've met some proper Scotsmen – they were quite funny and taught me some Scottish phrases such as "face like a whale scalped arse"… I really enjoyed the ride and received a "Yes2" t-shirt. Their dog laid on my lap so I covered in fur.

English Globetrotter

Really interesting globetrotter – agricultural engineer originally from Northern Island (although he was English) who had lived in Australia, US, UK, Canada and now settled in Scotland. Had some really interesting conversations about these countries and both our travels. There was a Spanish guy in the pax seat, apparently on a workaway trip, working at the guy's farm, didn't talk at all.

Polish Couple

From Fortrose, really went out of their way to get me to a good spot. "I would even take you to Thurso if I had time" (100kms away!)

English Lady

Nice English lady who became startled when I told her Brexit was a really bad idea. Very subtly, she started to give me reasons why she thought it was a good thing and had a back-and-forth conversation. Talked about a lot of things other than Brexit, too. She worked as a person who helped those who recently became deaf and had lived in Scotland for many years.

Guy from Orkney

Nice guy from Orkney whose English was incomprehensible. Told me he who used to hitchhike himself (which seems to be a very common theme with drivers in the UK) and was on his way back from the mainland to Orkney on the ferry. Took me precisely to the harbor where I tried to get a ride to the Faroe Islands but failed miserably.

Scottish guy

Took me to the nearest junction. Didn't talk much.

Nurse

Friendly girl who took me to a really good gas station. We talked about hitching and my trips. I was really excited about my first UK hitch. Said she picked me up because she felt bad for not picking up a pair of hitchhikers the day before.

Bus repairman from Kendal

Bus repairman on his way from Manchester where he'd bought a moped for his wife. Drove in a homemade RV. Said he hated Manchester because he almost got stabbed once. I don't blame him. Talked a lot about England and Brexit. I was astonished as to the amount of Polish shops in Preston, they even had a (fake) Biedronka!

Elderly English Pair

After an unsuccessful attempt at talking to drivers, I decided to "hitch" on the gas station with a "Scotland" sign. One car parked right in front of me and the occupants kept on staring at me and my unsuccessful attempts. Once they were ready to leave, they told me to come with them and took me to a good gas station. Had a nice chat about our countries and the naming oddities… (read on in Trip)

Scottish Couple

Scottish couple who I talked to right after a Polish trucker who promised to take me took off in front of me (zkurwysyn!)… They were a little hesitant at first but took me all the way to Scotland. First time anyone's ever replied to me with "aye". Mostly a quiet ride but to a desperate location…

Awesome Scottish Lady

Really saved my ass! My previous ride dropped me off at one of these hellish gas stations that serve multiple (not just one!!!) directions… I did not even try to talk to people seeing full cars. Met a pair from Berlin who called the spot "scheisse" – quite rightly so. So I did something against all my hh instincts – I hitched on a ramp with no shoulder and cars that mostly… (read on in Trip)

Fellow aviation enthusiast

Thought it was gonna be difficult to get out of Warsaw as I was the 2nd hitchhiker on the spot (hitching from behind of course). But I got a rider pretty quickly nevertheless. The guy was very friendly and we talked about many topics but especially about our shared love of flying. Told me about how he plays a WWII simulator and how no one gets it. I did.

Trucker

Friendly trucker, didn't talk much. Took me exactly where I needed to get.

Awesome old couple going to Vienna

Really sweet, old Polish couple in an expensive Mercedes that had the most luxurious interior possible. Both were 70+ but had smartphones and used them to navigate. Very educated and I really enjoyed their company, as we talked about our cultures and problems. Quite like-minded and knowledgeable about current affairs. Offered to pay for my lunch, which hasn't happened since I… (read on in Trip)

Slovak IT Guy

Talked to him because I saw a Slovak license plate. A little shy/nervous, but eventually we had a nice chat. Initially said that he was going through Bratislava but later told me that he'd exit the highway earlier to avoid Friday traffic in Bratislava. Dropped me off at a good gas station, so I didn't really mind. His dog barked at me at first, but later didn't me at all. Also barked at trucks.

Another neat Slovak guy

Seemed a little unusual and didn't really talk at first. I was already settling for a quiet ride, when he eventually started to talk and told me he used to live in Australia. Really knowledgeable/educated (talked about Brexit, Russia, Slovak politics, etc.) and I really regret I wasn't able to ride with him further.

Tourists

A pretty deserted road that lead to a pedestrian border crossing. Expected to walk all the way to the nearest village, but a friendly couple took me there – the first car that went by. They were on a "reconnaissance mission" to check out the border crossing (very popular among hikers, since there's no need for a Belorussian visa if one crosses there).

Three Girls from Warsaw

Pretty much the first car that went by. Three students who listened to me with their mouths open when I told them about my travels around Belarus.

Strange Guy

Strange guy who kept on talking at all times. Commented on absolutely everything. Used to live in Belgium for a long time and was on his way to a dentist. Quite friendly, nevertheless.

Interesting Guy from Hajnowka

Worked in a factory, but seemed really educated (although he had no degree). We talked about a lot of things, especially wages and living in the countryside. One of not many Poles who I could talk to openly about Poland. Took everything with a sense of humor and drove me pretty much home in Warsaw. Was on his way to pick up his daughter and wife from the airport there.

Belorussian Budapest Circus worker

Strangest ride ever (in terms of routing). The guy worked in Budapest in a Circus and could theoretically take me all the way to Bratislava if I wanted to (I had other plans). Hitched him in the most desperate location in all of Belarus and really saved my ass. He was driving to lesser-known border crossing to Poland to avoid a long wait. Drove along the border and had to go… (read on in Trip)

Older guy in a Lada

Smelled of gas fumes, how the guy didn't get CO poisoning, I'll never know.

Trucker

Friendly trucker who took me to Brest. Had been to Slovakia 3 days prior.

Nicest Retired Couple

Really nice older couple, even apologized for their dirty car. They were on their way home from a mushroom-gathering trip. Said they sell them to get some money as their pensions were low. Super kind and gave me Belorussian candy.

Trucker

Waiting behind a bridge for about 25 mins. Seemed odd because no one even noticed me. Then some cyclists told me that no one stops after bridges(illegal apparently) and that I should to a bus stop around the corner. Got a ride within 10 minutes.

Trucker

Nice trucker. Talked about our countries, told me he makes $200 a month.

Broken truck

Really friendly guy in a small truck. His truck broke down twice. The first time he told me to hitch because it might take time to fix it. I did but he managed to fix it pretty quickly so I rode with him some more. Then the same thing happened again and I managed to hitch another ride.

Family

Family that went out of their way to get me to Grodno. It felt odd because I didn't understand where the were actually going, it seemed like they said only 10 km. Had a 3 yo kid.

Couple in an SUV

Talked about visas.

Belorussian Trucker in a Russian Truck

Really neat trucker who picked me up, while waiting in rain. Talked about a lot of things. Seemed to quite educated.

First time I gave up hitching...

Girl in a former taxicab. Drove me for about 5km to the absolute middle of nowhere. I tried hitching there but it was raining and quite cold. Given it was a Sunday, there was close to no traffic. Gave up after an hour and took a bus (which I was lucky to catch since it only went twice a day) to the nearest town.

Quiet guy

Really quite guy, only asked a couple of basic questions and drove me for about 30km.

Belorussian Woman, Ethiopian Man (we get together every time we can)...

Shortest ride ever with the most interesting people yet. Hitched them on the highway. Said they were only gonna go for a bit (chyut-chyut), which I assumed was like 30 km (chyut-chyut can mean 200+ km in Russia), yet it was only about 1 km! Anyway, it was an Ethiopian man with his Belarussian wife in a Lada. Apparently, he came to Belarus (USSR back then) in '87 and stayed… (read on in Trip)

Two Guys

Two guys whose Russian was slightly difficult to comprehend. Didn't speak much. Took me for about 70km.

Family

Family on their way to their village. Mostly talked to the father, whose Russian was also quite incomprehensible. But we still had a conversation about visas and even Ukraine. Showed me their village and went out of their way to get me back onto the main road.

Quietest Guy Ever

Picked me up in a van. Listened to some technoish club music (which wasn't too bad) and the only thing he ever said was his name, when I asked him and "I'm going here. I'll stop at the bus stop for you." Later learned on hitchwiki that it's normal in Belarus for people to not be curious at all…

Short ride with a craftsman

Thought it was gonna be a nightmare getting out of Brest because there were 4 (!) other individual hitchhikers on the se spot but I only waited for about 5 minutes. The guy was a craftsman of some kind (didn't understand what job was exactly). Took me for only around 30 km.

Police officer driving to the airport to pick up his daughter

Retired police officer who took me for pretty much the entire way. His daughter worked as an officer on a cruise ship in US and was coming home for a 2 months vacation. We talked about a lot of things.

Short ride to Minsk

My previous driver dropped me off on a ramp because he was going to the airport and not to the city. This guy drove me for only about 10mins to the city outskirts. Talked about how he went to Nitra (Slovakia) to some "Slavic Festival" and how he didn't enjoy Vienna because of Muslims…

Two guys who open shops for a living

They were driving to Siedlce where they were to "open a shop". I later understood that they actually install credit card terminals. Spoke about how they'll go to a forest afterwards which was a little unsettling until I understood they were gonna look for mushrooms there (during working hours).

Mom on her way to pick up her son

Really nice mom who took me even though she was alone in the car. We had a nice discussion about the current political situation in Poland.

Confused Belorussian

Probably stopped onlynto tell me I was lost because the road only led to the border. "Why the fuck you stand here? There is only border!" "Yes, I'm going to the border." "Why?" "I'm going to Belarus." "Why are you going there?" "As a tourist actually" "WHAT?! As a tourist? To Belarus?" "Yes." "Get in!" Later on while waiting at the border: "So you're really going to… (read on in Trip)

Short ride from a desperate spot

It seems like Biala Podlaska is the Villach of Poland. I waited for an hour even though I was visible and there was plenty of space to stop. Finally I saw that there was a McDonalds sign in the distance and asked someone from the gas station (the only car that was there) to take me to the McDonalds.

Polish family from Scotland

A Polish family from Scotland who I talked to because I saw a UK license plate and thought they were Belorussians. Basically went out of their way to get me as close as possible to the border crossing.

Shortest wait and shortest ride...

Stopped pretty much right as i got on the road. Wasnt sure if she was going my direction and dropped me off after about 5 minutes.

Tired Czech Van Driver

Some time ago, a professional driver warned me against hitching rides with van drivers because they were "the most insane drivers out there" who did 4 days without sleep because their cars had no recording devices, the way that trucks do. That was the case with this guy. I was super lucky to get a direct ride from a gas station that was mostly local traffic because he was… (read on in Trip)

Moravian trucker

Nice trucker from Breclav who spoke the local dialect which was quite amusing. Told me stories about how he used to smuggle untaxed alcohol and cigarettes for the mafia back in the "roaring '90s", how he used to drive to Russia and about his trucker friends who did contracts for the US army driving from Germany to Iraq.

Women soccer players

Two Slovak women returning from the Czech Republic where they took part in a soccer tournament. Didn't to talk much.

Polish trucker

Told me that most Polish drivers headed towards Warsaw stop on the Polish side of the border and took me there.

Gastarbeiter from Salzburg

Nice Polish guy who was going home to Bialystok for Easter. Took me from the Polish border all the way to Warsaw and we had a nice chat.

The Trnava Nationalist

Slightly nazi-ish guy (shaved head), wasn't a fan of refugees and invited us to an anti-refugee protest in his home town of Trnava. We were extremely lucky to hitch a guy who took us directly from Zagreb to Bratislava, having waited only about 20 minutes at a relatively hh'ker unfriendly toll booth. But this guy did leave us with a bitter taste in our mouths…

Guy in a VW T4 pickup

Only took us to the toll booth. Didnt talk much.

Guy in an industrial truck

Took us for about an hour. Very little space in the cabin, but the guy was friendly. I probably sat on the engine so my ass almost caught on fire.

Slovak family

A working class Slovak family who really squeezed into their VW Golf in order for us and our bags to fit. It was the first time they have ever been to the sea. Took us all the way to Zagreb.

Nice family

Couple with a kid. Didn't talk much.

Bosnian trucker from Split

Really neat trucker. Spoke good English.